Due to a very positive order situation, MAN Truck & Bus expects an all-time high in sales of TGE vans in 2023. There are also innovations in the product: the rear-wheel-drive TGE with single tyres and automatic transmission as well as new offers as a basis for campervan vehicles have been added.
It was six years ago, on 3 April 2017, when the first series-produced MAN TGE saw the light of day. It was a great moment for the project team at MAN and the production team at the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles plant in Wrzesnia, Poland. The 100,000th TGE will soon roll off the production line.
The TGE is a success story for MAN without any ifs and buts and this is also reflected in the forecast sales figures for 2023. “The year 2022 was marked by disruptions in the supply chain due to the Ukraine war, raw material bottlenecks and the semiconductor crisis. As a result, we were unable to produce as many TGEs as were in demand. This situation is now gradually dissolving and our order book is fuller than ever. That is why we expect a significant jump in sales in 2023 and will thus sell more TGEs than ever before,” says Daniel Holbein, Head of Sales Van at MAN Truck & Bus, looking ahead to the current year.
There are also some innovations in the product range. The rear-wheel-drive TGE with single tyres and automatic transmission has been added. This particularly improves the range for built-up vehicles in the 3.5-tonne range, because rear-wheel drive is more suitable for vehicles with bodies. This is due to the fact that the load distribution of built-up vehicles tends to be more on the rear axle. A rear-wheel drive therefore offers more traction. In addition, better traction is achieved with the rear-wheel-drive TGE with single tyres and automatic transmission when trailers are used frequently. The 8-speed automatic impresses with optimally designed shift points as well as high driving comfort and safety, even in stop-and-go traffic.
Also new in the MAN Transporter range ex works is the campervan high roof, which allows more standing height in motorhomes. MAN already has an extensive range of products for partially integrated campervan vehicles: Wide-gauge axle, flat frame and the newly added four-metre wheelbase offer campervan manufacturers every design option. In conjunction with additional, factory-fitted equipment details such as the omission of a partition wall, swivelling seats for driver and passenger, special seat fabrics, second battery (AGM) and CSM unit (KFG), they form a perfect basis for premium motorhomes and can then be expanded by the specialist manufacturers.
For years, MAN has been continuously expanding its range of factory solutions with various bodies and extensions for the TGE. Customers can order a TGE with a tipper or box body as well as combi bodies for passenger transport or rack extensions for workshop trolleys directly on request. Furthermore, two different minibus variants up to a capacity of 19 passengers are offered. “In addition to the very high build quality and driving dynamics of the TGE, our customers particularly appreciate the MAN service with 24/7 breakdown service at many locations. Also highlighted is the professional advice provided by our sales staff, who are particularly knowledgeable about commercial customer requirements from the various industries and are pas-sionate about the TGE,” added Daniel.
